The Research Core of the Center seeks to build capacity for high quality research on health disparities through the conduct of substantial community-based research studies, methodological support for minority investigators who are new to the field, and building of research capacity and advanced research methods in the field of health disparities at CDU and UCLA. Major research activities will focus upon HIV prevention among African American women and on improving social and health outcomes among adolescents who encounter the juvenile justice system in Los Angeles County. The contributions to capacity will be accomplished through building of research relationships with established investigators associated with the Center, through participation of junior minority investigators in the major research projects, through coordination with the training core to assure appropriate mentorship, and through coordination with the community core in development of expertise and experience in community-based participatory research methods, and through strengthening of community and institutional partnerships for conducting innovative, real worid, cutting-edge research to improve minority health. The Specific Aims are: 1) To select, conduct and monitor the progress of translational research studies on issues related to disparities, particulariy those affecting African Americans and Latinos; 2) To provide methodological support for ongoing research studies, as well as to minority junior investigators and others new to the field of disparities research in the areas of study design and manuscript preparation; and 3) To build capacity for the development and implementation of innovative disparities research in the CDU and UCLA environments. The Core builds on experience in the Drew/UCLA Project EXPORT Center, which has conducted successful studies of weight management and depression in Latino women, diabetes and depression management in Latino men and women, and HIV prevention in African American men, supported numerous pilot investigations that have enabled emerging scholars to establish promising disparities related research careers, and established novel partnerships with communities to conduct relevant, high quality research.